"Prince!" Ying Hua winked, as the collar on her left shoulder slid down to reveal her clean and very beautiful skin. Her wide and beautiful eyes blazed like the most alluring flames of romance, with the most luscious and most seductive lips.
Prince Dwei was beating fast, feeling tightness in the chest and also in the stomach, like being tickled by the thousands of butterflies flying non-stop. Swallowing saliva, he was hypnotized, almost wanting to hit Ying Hua and drag her to then kiss without stopping.
But after Court Lady Bo reprimanded him, he immediately shook his head, finding his cheeks flushed red with embarrassment.
"Prince, please hold your head high!" whispered Court Lady Bo. "Empress Gui is walking towards you."
Soon Prince Dwei woke up, as if he had just been bathed in icy water or as if he had been drowned in an icy river in winter. Ying Hua's shadow slowly disappeared like smoke, not leaving a trace but still tickling the pit of his heart.
Turning his head, he found Empress Gui and her followers, who were now approaching with arrogance as if they were the rulers of the heavens.
Although reluctant and annoyed, Prince Dwei still bowed to greet her, accidentally looking at her small and feminine shoes, and her blood-red dress.
"My greetings to Your Highness Empress Gui!" said Prince Dwei, then looked up and stood with his back straight again. He saw Empress Gui grinning and looking viciously at him.
"Looks like you have a lot of free time, Prince, while Teacher Jun is waiting patiently for you in the study hall." Empress Gui's voice was gentle and very polite, but her tone was piercing and hurtful. As if she kept a knife as well as poison on her tongue. "Will you be able to accept the great responsibility of being an emperor in the future? Will you even survive the first day of your coronation?" Her hair was styled in an elaborate, high knot as if she wore horns on her head. It was a kind of crown that was owned by the members of the imperial especially former queens like her.
Prince Dwei still didn't answer anything. He was too lazy for that. 'But if I just leave there will be bigger problems. This is how the imperial palace is after all. People would yell at each other and knock each other down using only polite and dignified words.'
She smirked, followed by all of her followers who were a few court ladies as well as a few eunuchs. "Is this the reason you were defended by the prime ministers of the Qing Family? Because of your unseen dedication? Is it just because you sneaked out of the palace that you deserve to hold the throne? Even you are not doing your duty as a crown prince. I know you came out just for fun, just to relieve your brain's curiosity."
Court Lady Bo was eager to do something. But she knew she didn't have any power. Meanwhile, she could only give Empress Gui's followers a vile look.
"You don't even know how to behave properly in the palace. You cannot entertain guests from other empires. Are you sure you can protect many people in the future?"
"I might not be able to do it," said Prince Dwei, still bowing respectfully and speaking very politely. "Because I still haven't learned much and have an excessive thirst for many things," he said again. "But if I can't do it, then no one else can."
"You!" Empress Gui clenched her fists, eager to slap Prince Dwei. But apparently, she was still able to restrain her anger, even after her eyes which tended to be small looked rounded and almost torn. Then she snorted, smiling condescendingly. "It turns out that you are a mature, Prince, already able to reply to your aunt's words. And even though you know I still have a high position, you still look down on me with your words."
"I've never looked down on anyone. What I'm saying is a form of self-confidence that I must have. Even Teacher Jun often taught me to do that. Because a leader in a country will only be able to protect his people if he has the confidence to carry out a big responsibility. I think you understand more about royal education, considering you are a great and intelligent person. But apparently, you've forgotten some important points."
"God damn it!" Empress Gui almost slapped Prince Dwei, if only Prince Gui Bei hadn't appeared from some direction, which suddenly would have stopped his mother. Seeing her son appear, Empress Gui seemed to have become a new person, gentle and as if she didn't have a single point of hatred in her heart. "My son!" she smiled as Prince Gui Bei looked at her, then looked at Prince Dwei.
"What are you doing here, Mother?" he asked, after giving a brief greeting to Prince Dwei, his cousin.
"I was just taking a walk after not visiting the Qing Palace for a long time." She laughed crisply, suddenly remembering the name from the old Qing Palace. Because her husband used to be king, the Qing Palace was named Gui Palace. "I miss this place. It turns out that a lot of things have changed here, including the little things that are not visible." She glanced curtly at Prince Dwei.
Prince Gui Bei cleared his throat, then faked a smile. "The prime ministers are waiting for you, Mother. They said they wouldn't start the meeting if you hadn't arrived. Her Majesty the Queen and His Majesty the Emperor were also waiting on the throne. It's best if you hurry up so that this matter can be resolved as soon as possible."
"Oh really?" Empress Gui's face suddenly brightened. "I forgot how important my role in this palace is that everyone had to wait for my presence before starting the meeting. All right, now I'm going to the assembly hall. Thanks for reminding me, My Son."
Prince Gui Bei nodded, as he watched his mother leave with her followers. Now only he and Prince Dwei were left, who had been trapped in endless awkwardness.
'We were so close when we were kids,' thought Prince Gui Bei.
The awkwardness seemed to be broken by Prince Dwei, who intended to go and find another dreamy place. He still missed Ying Hua. But before that, his steps were stopped by Prince Gui Bei's words.
"Teacher Jun is waiting for you in the study hall." With very deep and wise words. "I know our family relationship is not good, and I still want the position of the crown prince as a form of restoring the good name of my late father. But at least make my struggle worthy to afford. I want to have a formidable opponent so I'm not like stealing the throne from you. So, just study properly! And fight me with all your strength."
The situation suddenly became tense, especially when Prince Dwei, who used to ignore Prince Gui Bei, suddenly looked at him. "I have no interest in the position of the crown prince. If it's going to fall on you, then let it happen."
"If you don't fight back there will be bloodshed! Don't you remember the prophecy about…"
"I am not a soul that has ever been reincarnated," said Prince Dwei curtly. "So, I will never be involved in any battle. All I know is that I will live in peace one day." He immediately left his cousin, with his followers, leaving Prince Gui Bei who looked on with raging eyes.
Meanwhile, Ying Hua and Old Man Mo were floating in the air with their bodies still in the form of air particles. For now, they still hadn't entered the palace grounds but were just watching from the outside.
"Looks like there will indeed be a bloodbath, Princess," Old Man Mo whispered.
***